Bypass check valve and venturi devices having the same

ABSTRACT

Bypass check valves, suitable for bypassing a Venturi gap, are disclosed and include a housing defining an internal cavity having a first seat and a second seat, and a seal member within the internal cavity translatable between a closed position against the first seat and an open position against the second seat. The second seat defines a support structure having a middle region of a predetermine height and a downstream side having a height that is shorter than the predetermined height of the middle region. The seal member is seatable against the second seat with a downstream portion thereof a further distance from the first seat than an upstream portion thereof.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/975,542, filed Apr. 4, 2014, incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to noise attenuation in aspirators forproducing vacuum using the Venturi effect and check valves, moreparticularly a bypass check valve therein having improved flow of airtherethrough which seals more quickly.

BACKGROUND

Engines, for example vehicle engines, have included aspirators and/orcheck valves for a long time. Typically, the aspirators are used togenerate a vacuum that is lower than engine manifold vacuum by inducingsome of the engine air to travel through a Venturi gap. The aspiratorsmay include check valves therein or the system may include separatecheck valves.

During most operating conditions of an aspirator or check valve the flowis classified as turbulent. This means that in addition to the bulkmotion of the air there are eddies superimposed. These eddies are wellknown in the field of fluid mechanics. Depending on the operatingconditions the number, physical size, and location of these eddies iscontinuously varying. One result of these eddies being present is thatthey generate pressure waves in the fluid. These pressure waves aregenerated over a range of frequencies and magnitudes. When thesepressure waves travel through the connecting holes to the devices usingthis vacuum, different natural frequencies can become excited. Thesenatural frequencies are oscillations of either the air or thesurrounding structure. If these natural frequencies are in the audiblerange and of sufficient magnitude then the turbulence generated noisecan become heard, either under the hood, and or in the passengercompartment. Such noise is undesirable and new aspirators and/or checkvalves are needed to eliminate or reduce the noise resulting from theturbulent air flow.

SUMMARY

The noise problems and the uneven closing of the seal member in thebypass check valve, described herein, have been overcome by the variousembodiments disclosed herein. The bypass check valve has a housingdefining an internal cavity having a first seat and a second seat, and aseal member within the internal cavity translatable between a closedposition against the first seat and an open position against the secondseat. The second seat defines a support structure having a middle regionof a predetermine height and a downstream side having a height that isshorter than the predetermined height of the middle region. The sealmember is seatable against the second seat with a downstream portionthereof a further distance from the first seat than an upstream portionthereof.

In one embodiment, the second seat further may also include an upstreamside that has a height shorter than the height of the middle region, butgreater than the height of the downstream side. In one embodiment, theseal member is deflectable between a generally planar closed positionagainst the first seat and an arcuate position against the second seat.While in another embodiment, the seal member may be generally rigid isan is seated against the second seat at an angle relative to the surfacedefining the first seat of the bypass check valve.

The middle region has a height that positions the seal member closer tothe first seat than a predetermined distance, and the support structureincludes a plurality of fingers extending into the internal cavitycircumferentially spaced apart about an outlet port of the check valve.The plurality of fingers have differing heights and the followingarrangement: (i) at least two diametrically opposed fingers that definethe middle region; (ii) one or more mid-height fingers on the upstreamside of the middle region, which have a height that is about 10% toabout 30% less than the total height of the fingers defining the middleregion; and (iii) one or more shorter fingers on the downstream side ofthe middle region, which have a height that is less than the height ofthe mid-height fingers.

The support structure may also include one or more fourth-height fingerspositioned relative to the one or more mid-height fingers to beproximate a side thereof that is opposite the middle region. Thesefourth-height fingers have a height that is less than the height of themid-height fingers, but greater than the height of the one or moreshorter fingers. Further, one or more fifth-height fingers may beincluded that are positioned relative to the shorter fingers to beproximate a side thereof that is opposite the middle region. Thesefifth-height fingers may have a height that is less than the shorterfingers.

In one embodiment, the housing may include a pin extending into theinternal cavity, a bore through the seal member, and the pin received inthe bore for translation of the seal member along the pin.

In another aspect, the bypass check valves described herein may beincluded in a Venturi device to control fluid flow through a bypass portdisposed downstream of and bypassing a Venturi gap. The Venturi devicemay include a second check valve controlling fluid flow through asuction port in fluid communication with the Venturi gap, and a firstsound attenuating member disposed in the fluid path between the Venturigap and the second port of the bypass check valve, and/or a second soundattenuating member connected upstream of an inlet port into the bypasscheck valve. The first sound attenuating member may be housed in a dualchambered canister that forms a first chamber housing the soundattenuation member and a second chamber surrounding at least a portionof a discharge section leading away from the Venturi gap upstream fromthe first chamber, and the second sound attenuating member may bedisposed within a conduit or housing placing the sound attenuatingmember within a fluid flow path in fluid communication with the bypasscheck valve, which may be a single chamber or a dual chamber similar tothat of the first sound attenuating member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side, perspective view of a first embodiment of an aspiratorfor attenuating noise from turbulent air flow.

FIG. 2 is a side, longitudinal cross-sectional plan view of theaspirator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a side, perspective view of a second embodiment of anaspirator for attenuating noise from turbulent air flow.

FIG. 3B is a side, longitudinal cross-sectional plan view of theaspirator of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a top, perspective view of one embodiment of a soundattenuating member.

FIG. 4B is a top, perspective view of another embodiment of a soundattenuating member.

FIG. 4C is a top plan view of another embodiment of a sound attenuatingmember.

FIG. 5A is a side, perspective view of a third embodiment of anaspirator for attenuating noise from turbulent air flow.

FIG. 5B is a side, longitudinal cross-sectional plan view of theaspirator of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6A is a side, perspective view of a fourth embodiment of anaspirator for attenuating noise from turbulent air flow.

FIG. 6B is a side, longitudinal cross-sectional plan view of theaspirator of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7 is a side, longitudinal cross-sectional plan view of a fifthembodiment of an aspirator for attenuating noise from turbulent flowthat includes an improved bypass check valve.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are end perspective and side plan views, respectively,of the lower valve seat portion of the bypass check valve shown in FIG.7.

FIG. 9 is a side, longitudinal cross-sectional plan view of a sixthembodiment of an aspirator for attenuating noise from turbulent flowthat includes an improved bypass check valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description will illustrate the generalprinciples of the invention, examples of which are additionallyillustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, likereference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

As used herein “fluid” means any liquid, suspension, colloid, gas,plasma, or combinations thereof.

FIG. 1 is an external view of an aspirator-check valve assembly,generally identified by reference number 100, for use in an engine, forexample, in a vehicle's engine. The engine may be an internalcombustion, and the vehicle and or engine may include a device requiringa vacuum. Check valves and or aspirators are often connected to aninternal combustion engine before the engine throttle and after theengine throttle. The engine and all its components and/or subsystems arenot shown in the figures, with the exception of a few boxes included torepresent specific components of the engine as identified herein, and itis understood that the engine components and/or subsystems may includeany commonly found in vehicle engines. While the embodiments in thefigures are referred to as aspirators herein because the motive port 108is connected to atmospheric pressure, the embodiments are not limitedthereto. In other embodiments the motive port 108 may be connected toboosted pressure, such as the pressures attributed to boosted airproduced by a turbocharger and as such the “aspirator-check valveassembly” is now preferably referred to as an ejector, or genericallyboth may be referred to as Venturi devices.

The aspirator-check valve assemblies disclosed herein may have alternateembodiments such as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, FIGS. 3A and 3B,FIGS. 5A and 5B, FIGS. 6A and 6B, and FIG. 7. Each aspirator-check valveassembly, as represented in FIG. 2, is connectable to a device requiringa vacuum 102 and creates vacuum for said device 102 by the flow of airthrough a passageway 144, extending generally the length of a portion ofthe aspirator-check valve assembly, designed to create the Venturieffect. The aspirator-check valve assemblies include housing 101, whichas illustrated is formed of an upper housing portion 104 and a lowerhousing portion 106. The designations of upper and lower portions arerelative to the drawings as oriented on the page, for descriptivepurposes, and are not limited to the illustrated orientation whenutilized in an engine system. Preferably, upper housing portion 104 isjoined to lower housing portion 106 by sonic welding, heating, or otherconventional methods for forming an airtight seal therebetween.

Still referring to FIGS. 1-2, the lower housing portion 106 definespassageway 144 which includes a plurality of ports, some of which areconnectable to components or subsystems of the engine. The portsinclude: (1) a motive port 108, which supplies clean air from the engineintake air cleaner 170, typically obtained upstream of the throttle ofthe engine, when used as an aspirator; (2) a suction port 110, which canconnect via the check valve 111 to a device requiring vacuum 102; (3) adischarge port 112, which is connected to an engine intake manifold 172downstream of the throttle of the engine; and, optionally, (4) a bypassport 114. Check valve 111 is preferably arranged to prevent fluid fromflowing from the suction port 110 to the application device 102. In oneembodiment, the device requiring vacuum 102 is a vehicle brake boostdevice, but is not limited thereto. The bypass port 114 may be connectedto the device requiring vacuum 102 and, optionally, may include a checkvalve 120 in the fluid flow path therebetween. Check valve 120 ispreferably arranged to prevent fluid from flowing from the bypass port114 to the application device 102.

As shown in FIG. 2, lower housing portions 106 in both embodimentsincludes lower valve seats 124, 126. Each lower valve seat 124, 126 isdefined by a continuous outer wall 128, 129, and, optionally, a bottomwall such as wall 130 in lower valve seat 124. A bore 132, 133 isdefined in each lower valve seat 124, 126 to allow for air flowcommunication with air passageway 144. In FIG. 2, each lower valve seat124, 126 includes a plurality of radially spaced fingers 134, 135extending upwardly from an upper surface thereof. The radially spacedfingers 134, 135 serve to support a seal member 136, 137.

Referring again to FIGS. 1-2, the upper housing portion 104 isconfigured for mating to or with the lower housing portion 106 to formthe check valves 111, 120, if both are present. Upper housing portion104 defines passageway 146 extending the length thereof and defines aplurality of ports, some of which are connectable to components orsubsystems of the engine. The ports include: (1) a first port 148 thatmay be capped with cap 174 or may be connected to a component orsubsystem of the engine; (2) a second port 150 in fluid communicationwith the suction port 110 in the lower housing portion 106, and betweenwhich the seal member 136 is disposed; (3) a third port 152 in fluidcommunication with the bypass port 114 in the lower housing portion 106,and between which the seal member 137 is disposed; and (4) a fourth port154 which may function as an inlet connecting the aspirator-check valveassembly to a device requiring vacuum 102.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper housing portion 104 in both embodimentsincludes upper valve seats 125, 127. Each upper valve seat 125, 127 isdefined by continuous outer wall 160, 161 and bottom wall 162, 163. Bothupper valve seats 125, 127 may include a pin 164, 165 extendingdownwardly from the bottom walls 162, 163, respectively, toward thelower housing portion 106. The pins 164, 165 function as a guide fortranslation of the seal members 136, 137 within the cavities 166, 167defined by the mated upper valve seat 125 with the lower valve seat 124and defined by the mated upper valve seat 127 with the lower valve seat126. Accordingly, each seal member 136, 137 includes a bore therethroughsized and positioned therein for receipt of the pin 164,165 within itsrespective cavity 166, 167.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the passageway 144 in the lower housingportion 106 has an inner diameter along a central longitudinal axis B(labeled in FIG. 7) that includes a first tapering portion 182 (alsoreferred to herein as the motive cone) in the motive section 180 of thelower housing portion 106 coupled to a second tapering portion 183 (alsoreferred to herein as the discharge cone) in the discharge section 181of the lower housing portion 106. Here, the first tapering portion 182and the second tapering portion 183 are aligned end to end (outlet end184 of the motive section 180 to inlet end 186 of the discharge section181). The inlet ends 188, 186 and the outlet end 184, 189 may be anycircular shape, ellipse shape, or some other polygonal form and thegradually, continuously tapering inner diameter extending therefrom maydefine, but is not limited to, a hyperboloid or a cone. Some exampleconfigurations for the outlet end 184 of the motive section 180 andinlet end 186 of the discharge section 181 are presented in FIGS. 4-6 ofco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/294,7276, filed Jun. 3,2014, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

As seen in FIG. 2, the first tapering portion 182 terminates at a fluidjunction with suction port 110, which is in fluid communicationtherewith, and at this junction the second tapering portion 183 beginsand extends away from the first tapering portion 182. The secondtapering portion 183 is also in fluid communication with the suctionport 110. The second tapering portion 183 then forms a junction with thebypass port 114 proximate the outlet end 189 of the second taperingportion and is in fluid communication therewith. The first and secondtapering portions 182, 183 typically share the central longitudinal axisB of the lower housing portion 106.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the inner dimension of the second taperingportion 183 tapers gradually, continuously from a smaller inlet end 186to a larger outlet end 189. This inner dimension may be any circularshape, ellipse shape, or some other polygonal form, including but notlimited to a hyperboloid or a cone. The optional bypass port 114 mayintersect the discharge section 190 as described above to be in fluidcommunication with the second tapering section 183. The bypass port 114may intersect the second tapering section 183 adjacent to, butdownstream of the outlet end 189. The lower housing portion 106 maythereafter, i.e., downstream of this intersection of the bypass port,continue with a cylindrically uniform inner diameter until it terminatesat the discharge port 112. Each of the respective ports 108, 110, 112,and 114 may include a connector feature on the outer surface thereof forconnecting the passageway 144 to hoses or other features in the engine.

When the aspirator-check valve assembly 100 is connected into an enginesystem, for example as illustrated in FIG. 2, the check valves 111 and120 functions as follows. As the engine operates, the intake manifold172 draws air into the motive port 180, through passageway 144 and outthe discharge port 112. This creates a partial vacuum in the checkvalves 111, 120 and passageway 146 to draw seal members 136, 137downward against the plurality of fingers 134, 135. Due to the spacingof fingers 134, 135 free fluid flow from passageway 144 to passageway146 is allowed. The partial vacuum created by the operation of theengine serves in the vacuum assistance of at least the operation of thedevice requiring vacuum 102.

The fluid flow within the aspirator-check valve assemblies describedabove is generally classified as turbulent. This means that in additionto the bulk motion of the fluid flow, such as air, there are pressurewaves traveling through the assembly and different natural frequenciescan become excited thereby resulting in turbulence generated noise. Theaspirator-check valve assembly 100 as seen in FIG. 2 include one or moresound attenuating members, 194, 196. The sound attenuating members 194,196 are placed within the flow path proximate, but downstream of theregions where turbulence generated noise is created. As seen in FIG. 2the first sound attenuating member 194 is disposed proximate to or inthe discharge port 112 because the discharge section 190 is one portionwhere such noise is created. Also in FIG. 2, the second soundattenuating member 196 is present and is disposed proximate to or in thefourth port 154 of passageway 146 because the flow path between thebypass port 114, check valve 120, and the fourth port 154 is one portionwhere such noise is created.

The sound attenuating members 194, 196 are porous such that fluid flowthrough and between the passageways 144, 146 is not restricted, butsound (turbulence generated noise) is attenuated. With reference to FIG.2, the solid arrows represent the fluid flow within the aspirator-checkvalve assembly and the dashed arrows represent the path for travel ofthe turbulence generated noise. As depicted, there are two potentialpaths for the turbulence generated noise: (1) toward the engine intakemanifold 172; and (2) toward, and the device requiring vacuum 102. Toeliminate or reduce this noise the porous elements are proximate butdownstream of the source of the turbulent noise. For example, the soundattenuating members may be positioned in the discharge port, the suctionport, the bypass check valve passageway above the check valve, and orthe suction check valve passageway above the check valve.

The check valves 111, 120 can also produce turbulent noise due to theflow therethrough. This noise would travel down either of the twoconnections. Sound attenuating members may be placed in either the inletor outlet passageways thereof.

The sound attenuating members 194, 196 are porous as explained above andcan be made from a variety of materials including metals, plastics,ceramics, or glass. The sound attenuating members may be made from wire,woven or matted, sintered particles, fibers woven or matted, but are notlimited thereto. The porous character of the sound attenuating memberscauses the noise pressure waves to attenuate by interfering withthemselves, but should be of sufficient size and shape to not undulyrestrict fluid flow. In one embodiment, the sound attenuating members194, 196 are not harmed (do not deteriorate) by operating temperaturesof an engine based on placement of the aspirator in the engine system.Additionally, the sound attenuating members 194, 196 are not harmed bythe vibrations experienced during operating conditions of the engine.

The embodiments depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B, 5A and 5B, and 6A and 6Bare alternate embodiments of aspirators 400, 401, and 402, respectively.Reference numbers identifying similar or the same components asdescribed for FIGS. 1-2 are used in these figures as well. Each of theseaspirators 400, 401, 402 include a porous sound attenuating member 300within passage way 144 downstream of the bore 132 of a Venturi portionand disposed in the discharge section 181. So, as seen in FIGS. 3B, 5B,and 6B, the sound attenuating member 300 is after the bore 132 andbefore the bypass port 114. The sound attenuating member is shown to bethe sound attenuating member of FIG. 4A, but of course is not limitedthereto.

As seen in FIGS. 4A and 4C, the porous sound attenuating members,generally represented by reference number 300 in these figures, mayinclude one or more bore holes 322, 342 therethrough. The bore holesprovide the benefit of minimizing unwanted bulk flow restriction withinany of the embodiments described herein. The bore holes 322, 342 may becircular in cross-section, but are not limited thereto. In anotherembodiment, the bore holes 322, 342 may be elliptical or polygonal incross-section. Each bore hole has a generally central axis therethroughthat is typically oriented generally parallel to the direction of theflow through the portion of the aspirator where the sound attenuatingmember 300 is disposed. As seen in FIG. 4A, if a single bore hole 322 ispresent it may be generally centrally positioned within the soundattenuating member 300, but is not limited thereto. The dimensions ofthe bore hole 322 are typically smaller than the internal dimensions ofthe upstream passageway adjacent to the sound attenuating member 300.When the bore hole 322 is circular in cross-section, the diameter of thebore hole 322 may be about 8 mm to about 14 mm. As seen in FIG. 4C, aplurality of bore holes 342 are present and are symmetrically positionedrelative to one another within the porous sound attenuating member 300.These bore holes 342 may be circular in cross-section as shown, but arenot limited thereto and may also be non-symmetrically arranged isdesired. As described for FIG. 4A, here also the dimensions of the boreholes 342 are smaller than the internal dimensions of the upstreampassageway adjacent to the sound attenuating member 300. When bore holes342 are circular in cross-section, the diameter of each may be about 3mm to about 5 mm.

However, in an alternate embodiment, as seen in FIG. 4B, any of theporous sound attenuating members in the embodiments described herein maybe a continuous plug of porous material with the only passagewaystherethrough being channels defined by its natural porosity, i.e., noenlarged bore holes are present. The continuous plug may be any shapeand configuration to fit within the selected portion of the check valveor aspirator, but as illustrated may be disc-shaped.

The embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B has three primary housing pieces: (1)the upper housing portion 104 as described above and the lower housingportion 106 described above, but split into a (2) Venturi portion 106 aand (3) a bypass portion 106 b. The Venturi portion 106 a includes amotive port 108 that may include a hose connector 410 on the outerexterior surface defining the motive port 108, a motive cone 182, asuction Venturi 132, the lower half of the check valve 111, specificallythe lower valve seat 124, and a discharge cone 183 terminating in afirst canister portion 412. The bypass portion 106 b includes a secondcanister portion 414 mateable with the first canister portion 412 toenclose the sound attenuating member 300 in an enclosed chamber 420defined by canister 416 formed when the first and second canisterportions 412, 414 are mated together. The bypass portion also include abypass port 114 and the lower half of the check valve 120, specificallythe lower seat 126, and discharge port 112 that may include a hoseconnector 418 on the outer exterior surface defining the discharge part112.

When the upper housing portion 104 and the Venturi portion 106 a and thebypass portion 106 b are assembled, a first seal member 136 is seated incheck valve 111 and a second seal member 137 is seated in check valve120.

The embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5B similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 3Aand 3B has three primary housing pieces: (1) the upper housing portion104, and the lower housing portion 106 described above, but split into a(2) Venturi portion 106 a′ and (3) a bypass portion 106 b′. The Venturiportion 106 a′ is the same as disclosed in FIG. 5B except that upstreamof where the discharge cone 183 terminates in a first canister portion412 a collar 424 extends radially outward from the exterior surface ofthe discharge cone 183. As seen in FIG. 5B the collar 424 is positionedbetween the bore 132 and the first canister portion 412. The bypassportion 106 b′ is the same as disclosed in FIG. 3B except that thesecond canister portion 414′ is configured to extend beyond the firstcanister portion 412 to mate to or be coupled to the collar 424. Whenthe first canister portion 412 and the second canister portion 414′ aremated together they enclose a sound attenuating member 300 therebetweenin an enclosed chamber 420′ and also form a second chamber 426 locatedbetween the collar 424 and the first canister portion 412. Whenassembled, the canister 417 is dual chambered having the second chamber426 surrounding the outside of the discharge cone 183 upstream from thefirst chamber 420 housing the sound attenuating member 300. FIG. 3B, thesecond chamber 426 contains air and may be sealed to contain the air ormay be in fluid communication with ambient air surrounding the aspirator401. In another embodiment (not shown), the second chamber 426 mayinclude a second sound attenuating member, which may be a porousmaterial that does or does not include bore holes such as those shown inFIGS. 4A and 4C. When assembled, the aspirator 401 also includes, afirst seal member 136 seated in check valve 111 between the upperhousing portion 104 and the Venturi portion 106 a′ and a second sealmember 137 seated in check valve 120 between the upper housing portion104 and the bypass portion 106 b′.

The embodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B is essentially the embodiment of FIGS.3A and 3B, but divided into two subassemblies 430, 440, one of whichincludes a sound attenuating canister 458, joinable into fluidcommunication by one or more hoses 450. The embodiment of FIGS. 5A and5B could also be divided into two subassemblies as well in a similarfashion even though not illustrated in the figures. The subassembliesinclude a Venturi subassembly 430 and a bypass subassembly 440.

The Venturi subassembly 430 includes a first upper housing portion 432that includes the upper valve seat 125 as described above and a lowerVenturi portion 106 a as described in FIG. 3B, which terminates with afirst canister portion 412. When the first upper housing portion 432 ismated to the lower Venturi portion 106 a, a first seal member 136 isseated between the upper valve seat 125 and the lower valve seat 126 toform check valve 111. The Venturi portion 106 a includes a motive port108 that may include a hose connector 410 on the outer exterior surfacedefining the motive port 108, a motive cone 182, a suction Venturi 132,the lower half of the check valve 111, specifically the lower valve seat124, and a discharge cone 183 terminating in a first canister portion412. Connectable to the lower Venturi portion 106 a is a canister cap460 comprising a second canister portion 462 and a connector portion 464having hose connecting features 466 on its exterior surface. The secondcanister portion 462 is mateable with the first canister portion 412 toenclose the sound attenuating member 300 in an enclosed chamber 470formed therebetween when the first and second canister portions 412, 414are mated together.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the first upper housing 430 mayinclude a first stabilizing member 480 facing the lower Venturi portion106 a and positioned to mate with a second stabilizing member 482included as part of the lower Venturi portion 106 a. The assembledaspirator 402 has the first stabilizing member 480 mated with the secondstabilizing member 482 to stiffen and strengthen the aspirator, inparticular the half of the aspirator having the sound attenuatingcanister 458.

The bypass subassembly 440 includes a second upper housing portion 434and a lower bypass portion 106 c. The second upper housing portion 434includes an upper valve seat 125 defining, as described above, a portionof check valve 120 and the third port 152, which is in fluidcommunication with the bypass port 114 in the lower bypass housingportion 106 c. The second upper housing portion 434 also includes aconduit 472 having a fifth port 474 connectable to a sixth port 436 ofthe first upper housing portion 432 by a hose 450. The upper bypasshousing portion 434 also includes the fourth port 154, described above,which may function as an inlet connecting the aspirator-check valveassembly 402 to a device requiring vacuum. The lower bypass housingportion 106 c includes the bypass port 114, the lower half of the checkvalve 120, specifically the lower valve seat 126, and the discharge port112 that may include a hose connecting features 418 on its outerexterior surface.

Through numerous tests of the various embodiments disclosed above, itwas noticed that the seal member 137 in the bypass check valve 120 wouldmove to the closed position in a generally uneven manner. In particular,a first portion of the seal member 137 most proximate to the dischargeport 112 would move to the closed position first, and then, a secondportion opposite thereof would move to the closed position. This problemis solved by bypass check valve 501 in the embodiment disclosed in FIG.7 through a change in the configuration of the second seat 514, bestseen in FIGS. 8A and 8B, by providing the second portion of the sealmember 137, which would otherwise lag behind in the prior embodiments, ashorter distance to travel to reach the closed position, i.e., when thepressure in cavity 154 is less than the pressure at the discharge port112. Accordingly, the bypass check valve is less likely to have the sealmember stuck with the first portion of the seal member seated againstthe first seat in a closed position while the second portion is notseated thereagainst, i.e., not sealed in the closed position. The bypasscheck valve 501 in FIG. 7 operates such that the first and secondportions of the seal member 510 are seated against first seat (theclosed position shown in FIG. 7) closer in time to one another, and,ideally, generally simultaneously. An addition benefit of the bypasscheck valve 501 is that in the open position, with the second sealmember 510 seated against the second seat 514, there is improved fluidflow past the seal member.

The embodiment of FIG. 7 is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5Bin that the aspirator 500 has three primary housing pieces: (1) theupper housing portion, designated as 104′ in this embodiment, and thelower housing portion 106 described above, but split into a (2) Venturiportion 106 a′ and (3) a bypass portion 106 b′. The Venturi portion 106a′ is generally the same as disclosed in FIG. 5B, i.e., upstream ofwhere the discharge cone 183 terminates in a first canister portion 412that includes a collar 424 extending radially outward from an exteriorsurface of the discharge cone 183. The collar 424 is positioned betweenthe bore 132 and the first canister portion 412.

Still referring to FIG. 7, the bypass portion 106 b′ is similar to thatdisclosed in FIGS. 5A and 5B in that the second canister portion 414′ isconfigured to extend beyond the first canister portion 412 to mate to orbe coupled to the collar 424, but differs in that rather than having afourth port as part of the upper housing portion 104′ it is positionedbelow the bypass port 508 as auxiliary port 540. When the first canisterportion 412 of the Venturi portion 106 a′ and the second canisterportion 414′ of the bypass portion 106 b′ are mated together theyenclose a sound attenuating member 300 therebetween in an enclosedchamber 420′ and also forms a second chamber 426 located between thecollar 424 and the first canister portion 412. When assembled, thecanister 417 is dual chambered having the second chamber 426 surroundingthe outside of the discharge cone 183 upstream from the first chamber420, which houses the sound attenuating member 300. The second chamber426 may contain air and may be sealed to contain the air or may be influid communication with ambient air surrounding the aspirator 500. Inanother embodiment (not shown), the second chamber 426 may include asecond sound attenuating member, which may be a porous material thatdoes or does not include bore holes such as those shown in FIGS. 4A and4C.

When assembled, as seen in FIG. 7, the aspirator 500 also includes, afirst seal member 136 seated in check valve 111 between the upperhousing portion 104′ and the Venturi portion 106 a′ and a second checkvalve disc 510 seated in an improved bypass check valve 501 between theupper housing portion 104′ and the bypass portion 106 b′. The improvedcheck valve 501 has a housing 502 (made up of a portion of the upperhousing portion 104′ and the lower bypass housing 106 b′) defining aninternal cavity 504 having a first port 506 (inlet) and a second port508 (outlet) both of which are in fluid communication with the internalcavity 504. The internal cavity 504 has a first seat 512 defining aclosed position and a second seat 514 defining an open position. A sealmember 137 is seated within the internal cavity 504 and is translatablebetween the closed position against the first seat 512 and the openposition against the second seat 514. In one embodiment, the seal member137 is generally made of a rigid material and as such is seated againstthe second seat in an angled position relative to the centrallongitudinal axis B. In another embodiment, the seal member may beflexible, flexible seal member 510 shown in FIG. 8B, which isdeflectable between a flat sealing state (such as shown in FIG. 7) inthe closed position and a deflected open state shown in FIG. 8B as anarcuate position against the second seat 514.

Now referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the second seat 514 defines a supportstructure for the seal member 510 that includes a right side R and aleft side L that are both shorter than a middle region M, wherein theright side R is overall shorter than the left side L thereby allowingthe seal member 510 to deflect more over the right side R than on theleft side L. The middle region M has a height H (FIG. 8A) that positionsthe seal member 510 closer to the first seat 512 of FIG. 7 than apredetermined distance. The predetermined distance is selected forimproved, quicker closing of the check valve and/or allowing a maximumamount of flow through the check valve, and may be about 0.5 mm to about3 mm, or more preferably about 1 mm to about 2 mm. In one embodiment,the left side L is more proximate the motive port 108 and the right sideR is more proximate the discharge port 112. The support structureincludes a sufficient number of pathways for fluid to be in fluidcommunication with the second port 508 after passing through the firstport 506 and over and around the seal member 510.

In one embodiment, the support structure of the second seat 514 mayinclude a plurality of fingers 520, 522, 524, 526, 528 extending intothe internal cavity 504 that are circumferentially spaced apart aboutthe second port 508. The plurality of fingers may be equidistant apartfrom one another. The plurality of fingers have differing heights andinclude at least two diametrically opposed first fingers 520 that definethe middle region M, one or more mid-height fingers 522, which are about70% to about 90% of the total height of the first fingers 520 and definethe left side L of the support structure, and one or more shorterfingers 524, which are shorter than the mid-height fingers 522 anddefine the right side R of the support structure. With this type ofsupport structure for the second seat 514, the seal member 510 deflectssufficiently to permit high bypass flow of fluid from the devicerequiring vacuum 102 when the pressure in the device requiring vacuum102 is greater than a manifold pressure of an engine that is fluidlycoupled to the discharge port 112 of the aspirator 500 and also providesfor quick, more uniform closure of the bypass check valve 501.

The support structure may also include one or more fourth-height fingers526 that are shorter than the one or more mid-height fingers 522 and arepositioned more proximate the motive port 108 than the one or moremid-height fingers 522. The support structure may also include one ormore fifth-height fingers 528 that are shorter than the shorter fingers524 and are positioned more proximate the discharge port 112 than theshorter fingers 524. FIG. 8B includes one example of heights for theplurality of fingers. In this figure, the first fingers 520 are thetallest, the mid-height fingers 522 are 1 mm shorter than the firstfingers, the shorter fingers 524 are about 3 mm shorter than the firstfingers (about 2 mm shorter than the mid-height fingers), thefourth-height fingers 526 are about 1.5 mm shorter than the firstfingers (about 0.5 mm shorter than the mid-height fingers 522), and thefifth-height fingers 528 are about 6.75 mm shorter than the firstfingers (about 3.75 mm shorter than the shorter fingers 524).

The seal member 510 may be or includes an elastomeric material suitablefor use in the aspirator 500 when connected to the intake manifold 172of an internal combustion engine, i.e., is durable when exposed toengine temperatures and pressures. In one embodiment, the seal member510 may be or include one or more of a natural rubber, synthetic rubber,silicons, fluorosilicones, fluorocarbons, nitriles, EPDM, PTFE, andcombinations thereof, but is not limited thereto.

As shown in FIG. 7, the housing 502 of the improved bypass check valve501 includes a pin 530 extending into the internal cavity 504. The sealmember 510 includes a bore 511 therethrough and the pin 530 is receivedtherein. The seal member 510 is translatable along the pin. This ismerely one non-limiting example of maintaining alignment of the sealmember 510 during translation. The first seat 512 within the internalchamber 504 includes a first annular seal bead 532 and may include asecond annular seal bead 534 disposed radially inward from the firstannular seal bead 532.

Still referring to FIG. 7, as one example embodiment, the discharge port112 is in fluid communication with an intake manifold of an internalcombustion engine, the auxiliary port 540 is in fluid communication witha device 550 that utilizes vacuum, such as a brake system or a fourwheel drive system, the motive port 108 is in fluid communication with asource of air, preferably clean air, and the first port 148 is in fluidcommunication with another device 552 utilizing vacuum such as a brakebooster.

Referring now to FIG. 9, the embodiment of the aspirator-check valveassembly is generally designated as 600. This aspirator-check valveassembly 600 is generally similar to the embodiment of FIG. 7 and FIGS.5A and 5B in that the aspirator 600 has three primary housing pieces:(1) the upper housing portion, designated as 104 a′ in this embodimentbecause it has a different configuration where it attaches to the bypasscheck valve 501; (2) a first portion defining part of the lower housing,referred to as the Venturi portion 106 a; and (3) a second portiondefining the other part of the lower housing, referred to as a bypassportion 106 b′. The Venturi portion 106 a′ is generally the same asdisclosed in FIGS. 7 and 5B, i.e., upstream of where the discharge cone183 terminates in a first canister portion 412 that includes a collar424 extending radially outward from an exterior surface of the dischargecone 183. The collar 424 is positioned between the bore 132 and thefirst canister portion 412.

The bypass portion 106 b′ is similar to that disclosed in FIG. 7 in thatit defines the second seat 514 having the improved support structure asset forth above, the second canister portion 414′ configured to extendbeyond the first canister portion 412 to mate to or be coupled to thecollar 424 of the Venturi portion 106 a′, and an auxiliary port 540 influid communication with the discharge port 112 and the second port 508of the bypass check valve 501. When the first canister portion 412 ofthe Venturi portion 106 a′ and the second canister portion 414′ of thebypass portion 106 b′ are mated together they enclose a soundattenuating member 300 therebetween in an enclosed chamber 420′ and alsoforms a second chamber 426 located between the collar 424 and the firstcanister portion 412. When assembled, the canister 417 is dual chamberedhaving the second chamber 426 surrounding the outside of the dischargecone 183 upstream from the first chamber 420, which houses the soundattenuating member 300. The second chamber 426 may contain air and maybe sealed to contain the air or may be in fluid communication withambient air surrounding the aspirator 500. In another embodiment (notshown), the second chamber 426 may include a second sound attenuatingmember, which may be a porous material that does or does not includebore holes such as those shown in FIGS. 4A and 4C.

In this embodiment, the upper housing portion 104 a′ terminates abovethe upper valve seat 127 in a chamber 602, defined thereby, that is influid communication with: (1) the bypass check valve 501; (2) a noiseattenuation unit 604 extending away from the chamber 602; and (3) thepassageway 146 extending the length of the upper housing between thesecond check valve 111 and the bypass check valve 501. The chamber 602has a width generally similar to the width of the bypass check valve501, when taken relative to a longitudinal cross-section thereof asshown in FIG. 9, but the width may divergingly increase as the chamber'sheight increases in a direct moving away from the bypass check valve501.

When assembled, as seen in FIG. 9, the aspirator 600 also includes, afirst seal member 136 seated in check valve 111 between the upperhousing portion 104 a′ and the Venturi portion 106 a′ and a second checkvalve disc 510 seated in an improved bypass check valve 501 between theupper housing portion 104′ and the bypass portion 106 b′. The improvedcheck valve 501 (made up of a portion of the upper housing portion 104a′ and the lower bypass housing 106 b′) defines an internal cavity 504having a first port 506 and a second port 508 both of which are in fluidcommunication with the internal cavity 504. The bypass check valve 501has the features described above with respect to FIG. 7, including thesecond support structure 514 and a seal member 510, and operates asdescribed above.

The noise attenuation unit 604, may be as described in co-pending,co-owned U.S. application Ser. No. 14/593,361, filed Jan. 9, 2015, whichis incorporated herein by references in its entirety. The noiseattenuating unit 604 includes a housing 605 defining an internal cavity606 enclosing a noise attenuating member 616 therein. The noiseattenuating member 616 typically fits securely, at least axially, withinthe internal cavity 606. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the noise attenuatingmember 616 has a generally close fit with the interior of the cavity606, but such a construction is not required. The housing defines afirst port 610 and a second port 612 in fluid communication with theinternal cavity 606. The exterior surface of at least the first ports610 includes fitting features 611 for connecting the noise attenuatingunit 604 into a fluid flow path of the engine, for example, featuresinsertable into a hose or conduit to provide a secure fluid-tightconnection thereto. In this embodiment, the second port 612 includes alid-like feature 620 connectable to the chamber 602 of the upper housingportion 104 a′. The first port 610 and the second port 612 areillustrated in FIG. 9 as positioned opposite one another to define agenerally linear flow path through the noise attenuation unit 10, butthe unit is not limited thereto.

The housing 605 may be a multiple piece housing with a plurality ofpieces connected together with a fluid-tight seal. The multiple piecesmay include a first housing portion 608 that includes the first port 610and a second housing portion 609 that includes the second port 612. Thehousing portions collectively define the cavity 606 and any combinationof proportion of the cavity is defined by either portion. In FIG. 9, thesecond housing portion 609 is illustrated as defining the majority ofthe cavity 606, which makes the first housing portion 608 more like alid.

The noise attenuating member 616 comprises noise attenuating materialthat is porous such that fluid flow through the unit 604 is restrictedthe least amount possible, but sound (turbulence generated noise) isattenuated. Examples of materials and multiple embodiments for the noiseattenuating member 616 are described above. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 9, the noise attenuating material is disposed abouta core 614, which may be described as a skeletal core because it ishollow, defining an inner cavity 622, and has a plurality of openings624 therethrough that allow fluid flow radially outward from the innercavity 622 into the noise attenuating member 616. The inner cavity 622is typically aligned with the direction of predominant fluid flowthrough the noise attenuating unit 604. The sound attenuating member 616is a porous material such as one of those described above.

Having described the invention in detail and by reference to specificembodiments thereof, it will be apparent that numerous modifications andvariations are possible without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bypass check valve comprising: a housingdefining an internal cavity having a first port and a second port bothin fluid communication therewith and having a first seat and a secondseat; and a seal member within the internal cavity, wherein the sealmember is a disc translatable between a flat sealing state in a closedposition against the first seat and a deflected state in an openposition against the second seat; wherein the second seat defines asupport structure having a middle region of a predetermined heightdefined by two diametrically opposed first fingers, and a downstreamside having a height that is shorter than the predetermined height ofthe middle region; wherein the seal member is seatable against thesecond seat with a downstream portion of the disc a further distancefrom the first seat than an upstream portion thereof; wherein downstreamis relative to a direction of flow through a conduit most proximate thesecond seat that is intersected by the bypass check valve; wherein thesecond seat further comprises an upstream side that has a height shorterthan the height of the middle region, but greater than the height of thedownstream side.
 2. The bypass check valve of claim 1, wherein the sealmember is deflectable between a generally planar closed position againstthe first seat and an arcuate position against the second seat.
 3. Thebypass check valve of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises aplurality of fingers extending into the internal cavitycircumferentially spaced apart about the second port, the plurality offingers having differing heights; wherein one or more mid-heightfingers, which have a height that is about 10% to about 30% less thanthe total height of the two diametrically opposed first fingers, definethe upstream side, and one or more shorter fingers, which have a heightthat is less than the height of the mid-height fingers, define thedownstream side.
 4. The bypass check valve of claim 3, furthercomprising one or more fourth-height fingers positioned relative to theone or more mid-height fingers to be proximate a side thereof that isopposite the fingers that define the middle region; wherein the heightof the fourth-height fingers is less than the height of the mid-heightfingers, but greater than the height of the one or more shorter fingers.5. The bypass check valve of claim 4, further comprising one or morefifth-height fingers positioned relative to the shorter fingers to beproximate a side thereof that is opposite the fingers that define themiddle region; wherein the fifth-height fingers have a height that isless than the shorter fingers.
 6. A Venturi device comprising: a bypasscheck valve according to claim 1 controlling fluid flow through a bypassport disposed downstream of and bypassing a Venturi gap.
 7. The Venturidevice of claim 6, further comprising a sound attenuating memberdisposed in the fluid path between the Venturi gap and the second portof the bypass check valve.
 8. The Venturi device of claim 7, wherein thesound attenuating member is housed in a dual chambered canister thatforms a first chamber housing the sound attenuation member and a secondchamber surrounding at least a portion of a discharge section leadingaway from the Venturi gap upstream from the first chamber.
 9. TheVenturi device of claim 6, further comprising a sound attenuating memberconnected thereto upstream of an inlet port into the bypass check valve.10. The Venturi device of claim 9, wherein the sound attenuating memberis disposed within a conduit or housing placing the sound attenuatingmember within a fluid flow path in fluid communication with the bypasscheck valve.
 11. The Venturi device of claim 6, further comprising asecond check valve controlling fluid flow through a suction port influid communication with the Venturi gap.
 12. The Venturi device ofclaim 6, wherein the middle region has a height that positions the sealmember closer to the first seat than a predetermined distance.
 13. TheVenturi device of claim 6, wherein the support structure comprises aplurality of fingers extending into the internal cavitycircumferentially spaced apart about the second port, the plurality offingers having differing heights; wherein one or more mid-heightfingers, which have a height that is about 10% to about 30% less thanthe total height of the two diametrically opposed first fingers, definethe upstream side, and one or more shorter fingers, which have a heightthat is less than the height of the mid-height fingers, define thedownstream side.
 14. The Venturi device of claim 13, wherein the one ormore mid-length fingers are positioned more proximate to a motive portin fluid communication with the Venturi gap than the shorter fingers,and conversely the shorter fingers are positioned more proximate to adischarge port in fluid communication with the Venturi gap.
 15. TheVenturi device of claim 13, further comprising one or more fourth-heightfingers positioned relative to the one or more mid-height fingers to beproximate a side thereof that is opposite the fingers that define themiddle region; wherein the height of the fourth-height fingers is lessthan the height of the mid-height fingers, but greater than the heightof the one or more shorter fingers.
 16. The Venturi device of claim 15,further comprising one or more fifth-height fingers positioned relativeto the shorter fingers to be proximate a side thereof that is oppositethe fingers that define the middle region; wherein the fifth-heightfingers have a height that is less than the shorter fingers.
 17. TheVenturi device of claim 6, wherein the housing includes a pin extendinginto the internal cavity, the seal member includes a bore therethrough,and the pin of the housing is received in the bore of the seal memberfor translation of the seal member along the pin.
 18. A bypass checkvalve comprising: a housing defining an internal cavity having a firstport and a second port both in fluid communication therewith and havinga first seat and a second seat; and a seal member within the internalcavity, wherein the seal member is a disc translatable between a flatsealing state in a closed position against the first seat and adeflected state in an open position against the second seat; wherein thesecond seat defines a support structure having a middle region of apredetermined height defined by two diametrically opposed first fingers,and a downstream side having a height that is shorter than thepredetermined height of the middle region; wherein the seal member isseatable against the second seat with a downstream portion of the disc afurther distance from the first seat than an upstream portion thereof;wherein downstream is relative to a direction of flow through a conduitmost proximate the second seat that is intersected by the bypass checkvalve; wherein the housing includes a pin extending into the internalcavity, the seal member includes a bore therethrough, and the pin of thehousing is received in the bore of the seal member for translation ofthe seal member along the pin.
 19. A bypass check valve comprising: ahousing defining an internal cavity having a first port and a secondport both in fluid communication therewith and having a first seat and asecond seat; and a seal member within the internal cavity, wherein theseal member is a disc translatable between a flat sealing state in aclosed position against the first seat and a deflected state in an openposition against the second seat; wherein the second seat defines asupport structure having a middle region of a predetermined heightdefined by two diametrically opposed first fingers, and a downstreamside having a height that is shorter than the predetermined height ofthe middle region; wherein the seal member is seatable against thesecond seat with a downstream portion of the disc a further distancefrom the first seat than an upstream portion thereof; wherein downstreamis relative to a direction of flow through a conduit most proximate thesecond seat that is intersected by the bypass check valve; wherein thefirst seat includes a first annular seal bead and a second annular sealbead disposed radially inward of the first annular seal bead.
 20. Abypass check valve comprising: a housing defining an internal cavityhaving a first port and a second port both in fluid communicationtherewith and having a first seat and a second seat; and a seal memberwithin the internal cavity, wherein the seal member is translatablebetween a closed position against the first seat and an open positionagainst the second seat; wherein the second seat defines a supportstructure having a middle region of a predetermined height, and adownstream side having a height that is shorter than the predeterminedheight of the middle region; wherein the seal member is seatable againstthe second seat with a downstream portion thereof a further distancefrom the first seat than an upstream portion thereof; wherein the secondseat further comprises an upstream side that has a height shorter thanthe height of the middle region, but greater than the height of thedownstream side.
 21. A Venturi device comprising: a bypass check valveaccording to claim 20 controlling fluid flow through a bypass portdisposed downstream of and bypassing a Venturi gap.
 22. The bypass checkvalve of claim 20, wherein the seal member is deflectable between agenerally planar closed position against the first seat and an arcuateposition against the second seat.
 23. The bypass check valve of claim20, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of fingersextending into the internal cavity circumferentially spaced apart aboutthe second port, the plurality of fingers having differing heights;wherein one or more mid-height fingers, which have a height that isabout 10% to about 30% less than the total height of the twodiametrically opposed first fingers, define the upstream side, and oneor more shorter fingers, which have a height that is less than theheight of the mid-height fingers, define the downstream side.
 24. Thebypass check valve of claim 20, wherein the housing includes a pinextending into the internal cavity, the seal member includes a boretherethrough, and the pin of the housing is received in the bore of theseal member for translation of the seal member along the pin.
 25. Thebypass check valve of claim 20, wherein the first seat includes a firstannular seal bead and a second annular seal bead disposed radiallyinward of the first annular seal bead.